Arrival
by Space Kase
Summary: My first fanfic ever, from four years ago. SatAMbased, with some Archie and Sega thrown in there for the heck of it. Moved over from old account.


Moved over from my other account.

SO YEEEEAAAAAAAAAH HEY. To those of you who got the update after TWO YEARS OF INACTIVITY, here's the first upload. To those of you who know me as I now am...raise yer hand if ya knew I was a Sonic fan! (raises hand herself) If ya didn't before, now ya know.

I'll admit it- this was NOT the first fanfic I've ever written, but it IS the first time I dabbled into the fanfictioning world (and the first time I've ever written an original character, who came out as kind of a Mary-Sue, despite the fact that I tried to avoid that) and took it seriously. As you can see, I've improved immensely since this. Still, I guess I still kind of have a soft spot for this fic. It's where I started, you know?

This is as far as I went before I took a trip to the moon and back. I might pick it up again some time.

BASIC GIST OF AUTHOR'S NOTE: FIRST FANFIC EVER. FEEL FREE TO POINT AND SNICKER, THAT'S WHAT I PUT IT UP HERE FOR AFTER ALL.

**Arrival**

**By Da Space Kase**

It was a normal day in the city of Robotropolis. Thick, black smoke filled the sky, blocking the sun. The air reeked of burnt metal, belched exhaust, and garbage. The roars and hums of constant machinery were the only sounds to be heard, along with the occasional clunk! of a robot's footsteps, pretty much the only ones to walk among the city of steel.

So then, it was most unusual when a small figure appeared near the direct headquarters of the city, moving quickly yet quietly toward the general area of the city limits. This figure was a female hedgehog about twelve years old. She was a bright magenta color with red quills and long, red hair. The few locks of hair that framed her face were dyed purple, yellow, and green. She wore a red-and-blue belly shirt, a pair of faded jeans, purple sneakers with a red floral pattern, and a pair of black leather gloves. She carried a brown backpack with her, careful not to jiggle it as she ran.

Suddenly she heard a whirring noise from directly ahead of her. Without thinking, she ducked into an alleyway to her right, flattening herself against the wall, directly out of the spy orb's line of vision. She was quite out of breath, but she didn't dare make a sound until she was sure the coast was clear. Taking a sharp intake of air, she sat down against the wall, wiping the sweat from her brow. "Man, that was way too close!" she exclaimed.

She removed her pack, rummaging around for something inside. Her hand landed on what felt like a folded piece of paper. Fishing it out, she quickly opened it up. Once opened, it could be seen that it was a map. It was actually a map of the late Mobotropolis that had been saved over from the takeover, but it still had the same basic layout as the modern day Robotropolis, so it was still fairly useful.

Looking over it carefully, the girl placed a finger on a spot marked with a blue circle. She then traced her finger over what looked to her like a path that could take her through the city of cold steel and to the forest. Nodding, she folded the map and packed it again.

Just then, static crackled on the com link before a voice spoke: "How are you holdin' up, Kat?"

The girl, Kat, pressed a button before answering. "So far, so good, Griff. According to the map, I'm in one of the alleyways at what used to be the downtown shopping district, so I'm about two thirds of the way there. I just need to take a shortcut through the main factory, and I'm home free!"

Static crackled again as the reply came. "Good. Don't get cocky- that place is crawling with bots! Remember, this isn't an everyday raid, so you want to-""Lay low and don't let anyone see me. I know, I know. Don't worry about me!" reassured Kat. Griff could be heard sighing on the other end of the line. "Right. Be careful," he said. Kat pressed another button before replying. "Okay. I'll call you as soon as it's safe." With that, she stood up and went on her way.

She kept to her swift, yet steady pace, trying to blend in with the shadows. She ran until she came to her destination- the main factory. She tiptoed along the side of the building, keeping as quiet as possible, and poked her head around the corner.

About four SWATbots stood in front of the entrance, occasionally switching positions to keep an eye out from all around.

Kat quickly ducked back around the corner. "Well, so much for that!" she whispered. "There's got to be another way in, but where...?" Her dark blue eyes scanned the site, searching for anything that might be of use to her. Her gaze swept up against the side of the building, landing on an air vent. She smiled as she took in its existence. All right! This'll make things easier! she thought. Even from here, the grating that covered the vent looked fragile and rusty, as if it had not been in use for about ten years, which was probably perfectly accurate. Robotnik didn't care if any building was cooled down or not. Maybe his own, but no one else's.

Kat removed her backpack again, and started to rummage through it. She was searching for something that would help her, something that would get her through this, something like- "Rope! I knew I had one of these in here!" she exclaimed (in a hushed voice, of course- she was still aware of the SWATbots next to her and didn't want to alert them). Next, she looked around on the floor for something even slightly heavy. Pebble? No, to light...Piece of scrap metal? No, still too light...Rock the size of her fist? Hmm...

She tied one end of the rope around the rock, letting go and grabbing it again about a yard away from the rock with her right hand, grabbing the opposite end of the rope with her left hand. She then hesitated.

What am I doing? I've never done this before! What am I, a freakin' cowgirl!? She thought. However, she decided to push aside her doubt for the moment. With that, she started swinging with her right hand with as much force as she could muster up, similar to a lassoo, and let go, still holding on with her left hand. She squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the crash of rock on metal.

It never came. Instead, there came a slight crackling noise, similar to that of a dead leaf being snapped to pieces. She opened her eyes- and sighed with relief. The rock had smashed through the grating, leaving little bits left. Now, if only those little bits would hold...

Kat tugged gingerly at the rope. It stayed. She tugged harder. It wouldn't budge. Knowing this, she started to climb. Hand over hand, each foot on the wall, it was almost like walking. However, her process was slow. She kept expecting the rope to slip, for the crash of the grating flying out of the vent, for the fall about thirteen feet below-

She got lucky. About a minute later, she hoisted herself up into the vent, being careful to avoid the remaining grate. A foul, musty odor instantly met her nose, which made her screw up her face. Apparently, this thing had not only been unused for ten years, but it hadn't been cleaned since then as well.

She started to crawl. Inch by inch, she moved as slowly as possible. She somehow felt safer up here, but she was aware of all the SWATbots down below, and knew that one loud noise would alert them. She had to be careful.

About ten minutes later, she came across another opening, this time showing a view of the floor below. Several machines, such as conveyor belts, were in motion. Several bots surveyed the process of the creation of other SWATbots, which was fascinating, but not why Kat was here. She had to keep going.

About fifteen paces more, she came across a bend in the airway that led left. Kat gulped. If she went that way, she'd be directly over the bots, which would make everything so much more dangerous. However, it looked as though there was no other choice. So she turned left and continued on. About a minute later, she felt herself slip arubtly. "What the-!?" Suddenly, she crashed through the ceiling, landing on the cold, hard concrete floor ten feet below. Instantly, every SWATbot's head turned toward her.

She had landed hard, and was a bit jumbled up, but at the call of "Intruder alert!" she scrambled to her feet and sprinted toward the exit. She was almost there- the light at the end of the tunnel- when she felt a cold, hard hand clamp around her upper shoulder, pulling her backwards, causing her to stumble. "Detain by orders of Lord Robotnik," the bot droned in its monotonous voice.

Kat tried so hard to get free, wriggling her arms to get free, but to no avail. Robot was simply stronger than girl, and so much more merciless. Heart dropping, Kat had no choice but to let herself be dragged to her next destination.

_

* * *

_  
In the surveillance room, Snively sat at the computer, typing up reports and grumbling to himself, all while managing to drink a cup of Java, as usual, when he got an interesting message. Opening up the window on the computer, he instantly became interested as he read it. He then got up and walked over to a blank screen, pressing a button. A picture of an obese man with an egg-shaped head and long orange mustache appeared- the face of Dr. Ivo Robotnik. 

The man scowled. "What is it, Snively? This had better be important for you to be disturbing me in a moment of important work!" he snapped. It took Snively all he had not to roll his eyes. What work? All you did was sit around on your lazy butt! He thought. However, not a sign of this thought appeared on his face. "Yes, sir. Well, apparently, SWAT unit 34B had taken a girl prisoner. She is currently in the cell on the third floor," he replied in his nasally British accent.

Robotnik glared at him. "And why, may I ask, did you think I would care to be disturbed about this?"

Snively gulped. "W-well, sir, I-I just thought that your excellency would want to know if she knew anything about...well...the location of Knothole..." he stammered.

Robotnik sighed. "Very well. Take her to the interrogation room. If she knows nothing, then just have her roboticized. I've got too much to do to be worrying about a single intruder," he ordered.

"Yes, sir," said Snively, shutting the screen off. He walked back to the computer, typing something out. With that, he walked out of the room, annoyed with the obese dictator. Seriously, how can the big round guy be so indignant? I mean, what if this little girl really does know something about knothole? Thoughts like this continued to run through his head as he walked down to the interrogation room. He didn't notice the spy orb following him through the hallway.

_

* * *

_Sir Charles Hedgehog, better known as Uncle Chuck, sat inside the hideout, watching the monitor, which currently showed Snively walking, appearing to be muttering to himself. He had seen everything, from the capture of the hedgehog girl to Snively ordering one of the robots to take her down to the Interrogation room. 

Throughout this, one thing had been clear to him- that girl was up to something. She had looked prepared for something, and her plans had been interfered with. Whatever those plans were, it looked as if she might have had something to do with Freedom Fighter matters.

"I've got to tell the others about this," he muttered.

* * *

Princess Sally Acorn stretched and yawned, enjoying the feel of the sunlight on her mahogany fur. A gentle breeze blew her reddish-brown hair around her shoulders. Her crystal blue eyes, framed by dark lashes, were about half- closed. She smiled in content. It had been forever since she could just lie around in the sun like this. Normally, her more-busy-than-average schedule had kept her on her toes, tensed up like the thirty-year-old she wasn't destined to become for fourteen more years. However, Robotnik had been unusually quiet lately, so there had been no reason to come up with any more raids. 

Just as she was about to fall asleep, the sound of footsteps awakened her. Her eyes snapped open. She sat up, looking about her- and was relieved to see a small, rose-colored hedgehog standing a few feet away from her. She had wide jade-green eyes, a small black nose, and a peach-colored muzzle. She wore a red dress with a white trim, along with matching boots and headband. Her short quills hung around her head, framing her heart-shaped face.

"Miss Sally?" she called out cautiously. Sally smiled. "Hello, Amy," she replied. She stood up, brushing the grass off her legs. Amy took another step forward, holding her hands out. They were both cupped, as if to hold something very carefully/ "I hope I didn't disturb you, but..." She cautiously opened her hands up. On her right palm stood what looked like a small green dragonfly, but robotic. It had a scrap of paper tied around its leg.

Curious, the ground squirrel took the dragonfly from Amy, untying the paper. Unfolding it, she read it over. Amy shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot. "Well, what does it say?" she asked anxiously. Sally just shook her head, folding the note and tucking it into a pocket of her vest. "Sweetie, could you do me a favor?" she asked. Amy nodded eagerly. "Of course!" she exclaimed. "Could you go tell the others to meet at the Great Hall? You and Tails come, too. I'll tell everybody then. "

Amy grinned. "Okay, Sally! I'll see you then!" With that, she ran off in the opposite direction. Sally sighed, taking Nicole out of the clip on her boot, where she usually kept her. "Nicole, cancel the rest of the plans for the afternoon," she ordered. The computer's liquid crystal screen flashed before she responded. "Computing, Sally," she said in her mechanized voice. As Sally walked off, she couldn't help sighing. _So much for rest and relaxation_, she thought.

_

* * *

_Bunnie Rabbot strode through the village, her robotic joints clanking and groaning as she walked. Her right ear continued to flop over her eye, as much as she tried to prevent it from doing so. This usually happened when she was nervous, and this was one of those times. It had been a while since their last mission- about a week so far- and wasn't expecting one for some time now. 

As she neared the main building of Knothole, she was somewhat relieved to find that it was rather quiet in this area. If it had been something big, there would have been a great commotion, with the crowd trying to see what was going on. She walked up the steps and through the doorway.

Once inside, she took a deep breath. The place smelled good- like rosewood and straw. The Great Hall might not have looked like much to a wandering passerby- it was really very primitive, after all, just like the other wood huts with thatched roofs, only slightly larger- but it was really the meeting place of the Knothole Freedom Fighters, used to make plans and strategies. Not only that, but if there was anything to celebrate, then the party would be held here. Many memorable nights could be reminisced in this building.

Bunnie walked over to the table in the center of the building, where a few other familiar faces could be seen. The first she could see was Antoine D'Coollette, the son of General D'Coollette, who had been the head of King Acorn's army in the days before the war. Antoine tried so hard to follow in his father's footsteps, but usually ended up cowering instead of fighting. It wasn't hard to figure out that he liked Sally a lot, and if she was ever in danger, he would shove his fear aside and rush in to protect her.

Bunnie smiled as her blue-green eyes landed on his pointed, peach-colored face. She had a bit of a crush on him, she wasn't afraid to admit it- she just often wondered if he'd ever notice, and if he did, how he would react.

Sitting on the left side of him was Sally Acorn, leader of the Knothole Freedom Fighters and daughter to King Acorn, as well as heir to the throne of planet Mobius and Bunnie's best friend. However, you wouldn't guess that about her at first glance. It often surprised Bunnie that Sally was a princess, for she didn't really fall under the category of average princess stereotype. She was basically the brains behind the operation, sometimes seeking help from her hand-held computer, Nicole, when there was something she couldn't figure out. She led with the same wisdom that her father had ruled with before her. She would, indeed, make a great queen some day.

On Sally's left sat Rotor Walrus, a pale purple walrus wearing a yellow cap backward on his head. He was the son of one of the members of King Acorn's Ministry of Science, hence his love for tinkering with machinery. He had ended up with the rest of the kids when Robotnik had taken over. He was shy, well-mannered and soft-spoken, but would tell anyone if he had come up with some new form of information or a new invention. He was basically the handy man for the Freedom Fighters, helping them out whenever he could.

Bunnie flashed him a grin as she took her seat, causing him to blush and stare downward. With that, she continued to make out the other faces around her.

Sitting right next to her was Miles Prower, AKA tails, on account of the two tails that he had been born with. Not much was known about Tails' history, actually. Sonic had disappeared for an hour one day when he was about eight or seven, and had appeared later with the little orange kit in his arms. The only way that they had even known his name was that Sonic had told them, and when they had asked him how he knew, he wouldn't say anything.

It didn't really matter, though. Tails had grown to be a normal, healthy, ten-year-old boy, with the exception of his extra tail. He was cheerful, easy-going, and always eager to lend a helping hand to the Freedom Fighters whenever he could. Bunnie had always had a soft spot for him- he was just like the little brother she never had.

She hadn't really been keen on the idea of Tails becoming a Freedom Fighter, as was Sally- neither of them could stand the thought of something happening to him, and in the war, that was almost sure to happen. However, Sonic had insisted, and it turned out that Tails made an excellent edition to the team. Occasionally, she still wondered if they had done the right thing, letting him join, but seeing the stars in his eyes when he knew he was helping out his kingdom was amazing, and anyway, she knew that they each took risks every day as they fought to get their freedom back. It was probably just a natural part of each of their lives.

On Tails' left was Amy Rose. Bunnie smiled as she ran the pleasant memories of the ten-year-old through her mind. Little Amy had come along about three years ago. Not much was known about her, either- whenever someone had asked her about her history, she always tensed up. The most she had ever said was that her village had been discovered by SWATbots, and they had chased her through the forest until she had managed to shake them off of her trail.

This didn't matter, either, for the Freedom Fighters had welcomed her into their village with open arms, especially Tails, who had been delighted to have someone his own age to be with. She hadn't seemed happy before, so no one badgered her about her parents. She was a rather shy, sensitive little girl with honest opinions, and often wrapped herself up in other peoples' problems before worrying about her own. She looked up to Bunnie and Sally as sort of mother figures, and she also had a thing for Sonic ever since he had saved her from the rapids in the river.

Bunnie looked to her right, and saw herself face-to-face with Hunter the Wolfhound. As her ocean-colored eyes met his hazel-colored ones, he flashed her a brilliant grin, flipping his gray headfur behind his ears. She rolled her eyes, though she couldn't help but let out a small giggle. Hunter had exchanged from the Wolf pack Freedom Fighters, courtesy of Lupe, and was now living here in Knothole.

Ever since he had first come here, he had had a thing for her. Something about chicks with fluffy little tails, he had said, which Bunnie had slapped him for. To this day, she still wasn't sure if that bruise had completely healed.

He was very athletic, with muscles bulging slightly from under his gray fur, and was a very useful addition to the Freedom Fighters on stealth missions. Most often, though, he just liked to help rotor in his hut.

Bunnie looked around, counting them off her fingers. Someone was missing...

As if on cue, the doors slammed open, letting a wide shaft of sunlight, causing the rest of the group to shield their eyes. When the doors closed again, a blue hedgehog with green eyes and a long, slender black nose could be seen striding towards the table, flopping on of the chairs and placing his feet on the table. Sally glared at him disdainfully. "Honestly, Sonic, can't you be more civilized? I called this meeting together to discuss an important manner!" she scolded. Sonic just shrugged. "C'mon, Sal, don't be like that! You got your ways, and I got mine!" he replied. Sally rolled her eyes, but didn't say anything, Antoine snorted, Hunter laughed out loud, and Amy giggled, stifling it with her tiny, white gloved hand. Bunnie chuckled. "Sugah-hog, y'all really oughtta come on time for once!" she exclaimed in her thick southern acent.

Sonic was like the annoying older brother she never had. Being insanely fast, he knew that everyone thought that he was tough and cool, and liked people to know it, too. He was never modest in anything he did. However, underneath that arrogant exterior, Bunnie knew that Sonic wasn't such a bad guy. He cared deeply about his friends, and often put his life in danger to make sure that they were safe.

She also happened to know that he loved sally deeply, more than a friend, or even a best friend. Sally cared about him that way, too, but Bunnie knew that neither one of them would ever say anything about it. Sally often scolded Sonic about being too reckless or immature and whatnot, when it was just a result of her being worried that he would someday get hurt. She didn't want that. Neither of them did.

Especially not Bunnie. She found everyone who now sat around her to be the replicant of the family she had lost in the war. Everyone had lost a member of their blood-related family, and so they had pulled together into a sort of foster family. Some thought of them to be simply an army. That was so far from true.

"All right, everyone, settle down!" called Sally, waving her arms. Everyone immediately fell silent. She sat back upright. "Now, I'm sure you're all wondering what this is all about," she began. No one spoke up, though Bunnie had the strangest feeling that Sonic would have loved to say something like, "Get on with it already!" Sally continued.

"Well, I've just been informed of a message from Sir Charles. " She took the note from earlier out of her pocket. "It says here, 'Freedom Fighters: Robotnik has taken a girl prisoner. I have reason to believe that she is affiliated with the Freedom Fighters. She should probably be rescued and questioned. Chuck.' " By now, everyone was upright and eager to get going.

"I've sent a response back to Charles. We leave in an hour," she finished. By this time, Hunter raised his hand. "What if she doesn't know anything?" he asked. Sally looked at him firmly. "We still get her out of there. Fellow Freedom Fighter or not, she's still a living breathing individual, and we never turn down the opportunity to rescue one more person from becoming another one of Robotnik's many slaves!" she replied. Hunter nodded. After seing her blow up at Sonic one night after he had gone to Robotropolis on his own, Hunter never dared make the princess mad.

"So then- any questions?" asked Sally. A small, white glove nervously raised into the air. Sally looked at the owner of the hand. "Yes, Amy?"

Amy gulped. "Well, Sally, I was wondering...who's gonna go save her?" she asked nervously. Sally placed a finger on her chin thoughtfully. "Well, anyone who wants to volunteer, I suppose. We should probably travel in small numbers, though- preferably three, no more," she stated. Bunnie smiled, calling "Ah'm in!". Sonic grinned, pointing to his chest. "Kickin' ol' Buttnik's butt just wouldn't be the same without the ol' hedgehog!" he replied. Amy's hand went down, and so did her gaze, as she let out a shaky breath. Tails looked worriedly at her. He didn't like it when she got upset. He patted her shoulder in a comforting manner. "Did you want to go, Amy?" he asked. Amy nodded. "Well, kind of...I mean...Bunnie and Sonic offered first..." she muttered. Tails knew how she felt. There had been too many times that he couldn't go on missions with the others, mostly because it was always 'too dangerous'.

For a moment, Sally lost her noble attitude and developed the softened look of a mother caring for her child. "Don't take it personally, Amy, you'd do just fine. It's just that we need to travel quickly with as few people as possible. That way, not so many lives can be at stake. You understand, right?"

Amy looked up, nodding. She understood- she was just still disappointed.

Sally regained her composure. "All right, Freedom Fighters- move out!" she called. With a cheer from the group, they headed for the exit.

_

* * *

_Kat rested on the bench, looking out past the bars. She was desperate to find a way out now that she had been captured. Not only that, but she hadn't even accomplished what she had been sent out to do in the first place! Now her backpack and comm link had been taken away from her, so she had no way of getting in contact with the city to tell them that she had failed. 

Oh, well- even if she had her things back, she didn't have anything that could take out steel bars, and there was a camera in here that was watching her every move, so she'd be seen trying to get in contact with her group, which would just put the rest of them in danger.

Suddenly, she heard a loud Clank! Clank! Clank! Getting up, she walked over to the door, holding onto the bars. Sure enough, a SWATbot walked in front of her, entering the code on the side of the cell door, which opened. Grabbing firm hold of her arms with each hand, the bot forced her to march in front of it. She tried to break free harder than she ever had before, but the more she struggled, the harder the bot's grip became. Eventually, it got to be so painful, that she had to stop.

They soon came to a doorway. Sliding open, the now open doorway revealed what looked like a chair with metal bonds designed for the arms, legs, head and neck. The bot led her into the room. A voice from behind them suddenly startled Kat so much that she jumped- well, jumped as much as she could while behind held by a towering robot.

"Excellent work, 34B. Wait outside the door in case this little one tries anything," said the voice. It was high-pitched and nasally- not at all the average idea for a villain's voice. The SWATbot turned around and walked out of the room, the doors sliding shut behind it. Now that she was free, Kat could get a good glimpse of the owner of the voice.

A short little man wearing a green uniform stood right before her. He was no taller than she was- a bit taller than three feet. He had a light bulb- shaped head, along with a very prominent nose. He was completely bald, save for a few little hairs that stood straight up.

She wanted to giggle at him, he was so funny-looking, but one important thing that she had learned in all her years of fighting was to never laugh at your enemies, no matter how much you want to, no matter how much they deserve it. "If you've got the lower hand, then the most important thing to do is to make sure you get out alive, and to do that, you have to refrain from making the enemy angry or annoyed- your pride doesn't matter." At least, that's what her teacher had always said.

So she stayed silent.

"So then...We have a little intruder..." he said, trying to sneer but ending up squeaking. It was all Kat could do not to start laughing. Apparently, the man noticed. He pouted. "Humph. So, you think I'm funny, do you?" he growled (well, tried to growl- it sounded more like a whine). Kat quickly shook her head. "No, I don't think that! Why, did I say that?" she said quickly. The man glared at her, putting his face directly in front of hers so that his nose was almost touching her forehead.

"Don't play games with me, rodent!" he snapped." I'll teach you to mess with Snively the Great!" He stood up tall and proud, putting his hand son his hips and raising his chest. Kat cocked an eyebrow at him. "Snively? Is that your name? Boy, where'd your mom come up with that?" she exclaimed. Instantly she was sorry she made that remark.

Snively's face suddenly twisted into that of a wild beast's. "How dare you, you little wench! You leave my mother out of this!" he snapped. He then pressed a button on a nearby monitor. "34B! Get in here and secure the intruder down to the electric chair immediately!" he shouted into the speaker. About a second later, the same SWATbot ran into the room, grabbing Kat before she had a chance to do anything. She soon found herself strapped down to the chair she had seen before, unable to do anything.

Snively looked at her triumphantly, an evil grin on his face. He held a remote in his right hand, the other hand behind his back. "Well, well, well, a bit cheeky today, aren't we? Well, let's see how you respond to this!" He pressed a button.

An instant wave of pain shot through Kat's body. It felt as if her very bones were being barbecued. About a second later, however, it was over. The aftermath was just as unpleasant as the previous, however. Snively just grinned sadistically. "Now, tell me- where is Knothole Village?"

Kat's heart sank. That's what she had been trying to find out all this time. "I- I dunno," she replied, hanging her head. She dreaded what she knew was coming next.

Snively shrugged. "Very well then." He pressed the button again, but this time, the pain was intensified by three times. This time it fried her living tissue, her bones, her muscles, her blood...she could actually feel the bolts running through her veins. This time she could not quell the high- pitched scream that rose out of her throat. Saliva bubbled up under her tongue. Whether or not it ran down her chin, she didn't know. She couldn't feel anything anymore...couldn't see anymore...all she knew was the hot pain that ran through her body.

Then it stopped. By now, the girl was gasping for breath. Sweat ran down the sides of her head, sticking her hair to her face and neck. Snively just stood there, taking the girl's pain in, enjoying every minute of it. He held the remote out again. By now, he knew that she didn't know the answer to what his obese uncle wanted to obtain- he was just having fun.

"Now, I'm going to ask you this one more time- Where is Knothole Village?" he asked in a menacing voice. Kat squeezed her eyes shut, hoping to postpone the moment of pain a little bit longer. Finally, she spoke. "I- I...I...don't...know..."

Snively pressed the button again, willing to see the bolts of silver-blue electricity running down her brow. That never happened- not a third time. Suddenly, the room went dark. The hum of machinery and power produced by generators suddenly stopped. Not a mechanical organism moved. Kat froze. What had just happened?

Suddenly, a noise cut through the dark, still atmosphere like a knife through butter. It was similar to that of a chain saw cutting through metal. Next, the sound similar to that of a lock being undone could be heard.

Kat wiggled her arm. It was free. She wiggled her leg. It was free, too. She got up from the chair, hopping down on to the concrete. A warm hand clenched just above her wrist. She didn't know why, but as soon as she felt that hand, she knew she could trust the owner of the arm attached to it. Which is why she let the other hand grip her under her knees, lift her up against its chest, and speed out of the door, leaving Snively there in silence, not yet knowing what happened.

* * *

Sally and Bunnie waited just outside the main generator, intently staring at their watches. Any second now... 

Just then, there was a dull_ whrrrrr_ noise echoed throughout the dark sky as the power all over the city went out. The two girls turned to each other, each with a grin on their faces. Sally's plan to take down the main generator had worked- the blackout in Robotropolis just proved that.

Of course, the power would come back on any minute- Robotnik did have a back-up generator that would kick in eventually. However, with Sonic's speed, a minute or less was all he needed. Now that the power was out, he should have been heading to the main factory.

Sally glanced in the general direction of Robotnik's base, hoping desperately that Sonic wouldn't try anything too rash- this was a stealth mission. The last thing they needed was a group of SWATbots chasing them.

_

* * *

_The wind blew in Kat's face, stinging her eyes and ears. She huddled up in her savior's arms, trying to deplete the discomfort of traveling at this incredible speed. Within a few seconds, they were out in the open, where the light, as dim as it was, made Kat wince. Just looking around as the scenery became blurred and blended made her head hurt, so she closed her eyes. Yes, this speed was definitely something she was not used to. 

Then, all in a record of five seconds, it was suddenly over as soon as it had started. She cracked open an eyelid as her savior lowered her gently to the ground. Getting up cautiously so as not to affect the blood flow from her head to her legs, she was finally able to get a closer look at the figure. What she saw nearly made her faint in relief and happiness.

The speed demon was none other than a sixteen-year-old hedgehog. He was a deep cobalt blue, with a peach colored muzzle, belly, and arms; just like hers, but darker. He wore a pair of white gloves with the wristbands folded over, and a pair of red sneakers with a white strap each, held in place by a gold buckle. His eyes were a startling green, and coordinated with his sharp, upright black nose.

This could only mean one thing- "You're Sonic the Hedgehog!" exclaimed Kat. The hedgehog looked startled, but quickly got over it. Grinning, he said, "You've heard of me?" Kat nodded eagerly. "Who hasn't? I've heard so much about you!" Sonic was about to answer, but a shout from behind them penetrated any sound he was thinking of making.

"Sonic, you did it! I- who's she?" Kat turned around, and felt that fainting sensation come over her again.

The figure who was now running toward them was a brown ground squirrel/ chipmunk, about sixteen years of age. Her face was a light sand color, as was her belly, and her hair was a reddish- brown. She had light blue eyes, and wore a vest and boots of the same color. She had what looked like a hand-held computer in her right hand.

Another figure followed the ground squirrel, one that Kat didn't recognize. She was pure rabbit from the waist up, but robotic from the hips down, along with a robotic left arm. Her fur was a tawny yellow color, similar to that of a fawn, and a bright little face sported ocean-colored eyes, a pink button nose, a pale gold muzzle, and long, velvety ears. The most she wore was a purple body suit, which hugged a body that any girl would have killed for.

The female hedgehog was now beside herself with joy. "Hey! You must be Sally!" she exclaimed. The ground squirrel/ chipmunk looked taken aback by Kat's statement, surprised that this preteen knew who she was. Her comrades shared this exact same look. The magenta hedgehog continued. "I'm afraid I don't recognize you, Miss...?" she trailed off, sheepishly indicating the rabbit. "Rabbot. Bunnie Rabbot," replied Bunnie. Kat was confused at first, but her face lit up after a few seconds. "Oh, I get it!" she exclaimed, giggling.

She stopped, however, when she noticed that the three were exchanging dumbfounded looks. She felt herself blush when Sonic asked something that they had all been wondering: "How do you know who Sal and I are?" It occurred to Kat that she may have freaked them out. Clearing her throat, she started over. "I was sent from Lower Mobius to find you guys. I have a message to give you," she said in a more business-like manner.

Sally now looked at the girl curiously. Kat had a feeling that she was contemplating her to see if she was honest or not. This made her more eager to attain their trust. Her city was in trouble, and these three that stood around her were the only ones who could save it.

After a few moments, Sally nodded. "All right. It's best that we don't discuss such matters out here in the open, though- we'd better get back to Knothole," she said. Kat was about to ask why, but her question was instantly answered. At that precise moment, she heard the same whrrr sound that she had heard back in the interrogation room. Along with it, a dull glow returned to the metal buildings around them.

Sonic grinned. "Okay! Sal, you grab onto my waist, Bunnie, you grab Sal's waist, and you, Kid, um..." "Katsaka, but everybody calls me Kat," finished Kat. Sonic nodded. "Right, Kat, you grab Bunnie's waist, and hold on tight!" he finished.

The girls did as they were instructed, and Sonic revved up his legs, and a split second later, sped off.

Kat squeezed her eyes shut for the second time that day as the blue hedgehog burst into his abnormal speed, tightening her grip on Bunnie's waist, not wanting to fly off. She felt the rabbit's muscles contract slightly, yet uncomfortably, under her soft fur. Apparently, she wasn't accustomed to having someone hold on so tight. Kat didn't loosen her grip, however- she didn't want to get left behind.

Her eyes still closed, she sensed things starting to change. It seemed to get cooler as they left the monstrous city, and the foul smell of belched exhaust was getting more and more distinct, replaced by a fresh, earthy smell; similar to what was underground, and yet...different. Tinted with something that was familiar, but she couldn't quite recognize it.

About a minute later, everything came to an arubt stop. Not being prepared, Kat was thrown forward, bumping into Bunnie, causing her to fall to the ground. As a result, Bunnie knocked Sally over, and Sally knocked Sonic over, like a row of Mobian dominoes.

Kat scrambled to her, feet, feeling the blood rush to her muzzle as she blushed. "Uh...hehe...Sorry about that, guys. I'm still not used to this whole 'insane speed' thing yet," she apologized. The three Freedom Fighters got up, all three glaring at her annoyingly. However, Sonic was the first to burst into chuckles, Bunnie being second, and Sally third. Of course, since laughing is contagious, Kat started to giggle along with them.

A few seconds later, Sally managed to regain composure. "Well, I'm afraid to say that, since you are a newcomer, we'll have to blindfold you for the rest of the way. I don't believe that you are a traitor, but in these times of war, we just can't take these risks."

Kat nodded, though grudgingly. She didn't like it that these three didn't trust her, but she understood; had the Underground Freedom Fighters managed to free a prisoner, they'd have to do the same thing- it was natural to want to protect one's headquarters during war. Which is why she allowed Sonic and Sally to tie the black blindfold around her eyes, and lead her to Knothole Village.

_

* * *

_Kat reached behind her head, her fingers working hard at the knot. What she saw before her was really a disappointment to her; the only thing that stood here was a large oak tree. However, what she saw next completely changed her mind. 

#Bunnie pulled a branch, and a large hole appeared in the tree. Apparently, the 'branch' was a lever for the opening. Sonic curled up into a ball, shouting an excited #"Juranamo!" as he rushed into the hole. Sally was next, quickly zipping up her vest before doing so. Kat looked down the hole, uncertain of what was coming up next. She looked over to Bunnie for guidance.

She smiled reassuringly at the red-headed hedgehog. "Jump in, Darlin', it ain't gonna bahte!" she exclaimed. Still uncertain, Kat poked her head through the hole. She couldn't see anything, though- it was pure dark in there. She was about to take her head out and look to Bunnie, but before she could do anything, she was suddenly pushed down through the hole, into total darkness.

She couldn't help but let out a loud yelp as she suddenly dipped- and then, slide. Surprised, she didn't do anything, but let herself slide down through the oak, among its twists, turns, and dips. It was surprisingly smooth for something that was made out of wood. She found it rather enjoyable!

Unfortunately, it was over almost instantly. She burst through the opposite end of the slide, expecting to land face-first on the ground, but rather straight into a large pile of hay.

Flailing her arms, she burst out of the top of the haystack, spitting a few pieces of the yellow-white grass out of her mouth. Shaking her head, she glanced around the scenery below.

She found herself in a village, complete with wooden huts with thatched roofs. Several residents of the village that had walked by now stopped and stared at their new arrival. The entire place was surrounded by forest terrain, which seemed to be thick and dense. Overall, the place seemed fairly primitive, but functional; it was still impressive to have accomplished a task such as keeping an entire village together in the time of the war.

Just then, a shout from above startled her from her thoughts. Turning her head, she caught sight of a gold- and-silver flurry zip from the slide, landing right next to her in the haystack.

When she took a closer look, Kat realized that the former flurry had been Bunnie, who was now up to her waist in hay. She then realized something that had happened: "Hey! You pushed me!" she exclaimed, pointing an accusing finger at the rabbit. Bunnie just smiled slyly. "Well, y'all weren't in any hurry, and we'd've been up there for an hour before you fahnally decided to get down there!" she exclaimed, laughing.

Kat couldn't help but giggle. It was hard not to when the Southern rabbit was so darned cheerful! Bunnie nudged her gently. "Well, don't just sit here, hun, come on down!" she exclaimed. Kat obeyed, struggling to get herself out of the hay. Once on top of the pile, she followed Bunnie's lead, sliding from the haystack to the ground below.

Once out of the hay, Bunnie grabbed Kat's arm. "C'mon, the others'll be waitin' for ya!" she exclaimed, leading her. Kat said nothing, just waited for what would come next.

**TBC (_quite possibly_)**


End file.
